The Buddha teaches on feelings regarding with several mendicants (2nd), analyzing their origin, cessation, gratification, drawback, and escape for insight and release from clinging.

SN 36.18 With Several Mendicants (2nd)

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavā etadavoca:

“katamā nu kho, bhikkhave, vedanā, katamo vedanāsamudayo, katamo vedanānirodho, katamā vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā? Ko vedanāya assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṁ nissaraṇan”ti?

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…”

“tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā imā vuccanti, bhikkhave, vedanā …pe… phassasamudayā …pe….

(Yathā purimasuttante, tathā vitthāretabbo.)

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu …pe…

Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha …

ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said to them:

“katamā nu kho, bhikkhave, vedanā, katamo vedanāsamudayo, katamo vedanānirodho, katamā vedanānirodhagāminī paṭipadā?

“Mendicants, what is feeling? What’s the origin of feeling? What’s the cessation of feeling? What’s the practice that leads to the cessation of feeling?

Ko vedanāya assādo, ko ādīnavo, kiṁ nissaraṇan”ti?

And what is feeling’s gratification, drawback, and escape?”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe…”

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

“tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā

“Mendicants, there are these three feelings:

sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā

pleasant, painful, and neutral.

imā vuccanti, bhikkhave, vedanā …pe… phassasamudayā …pe….

These are called feelings. …”

(Yathā purimasuttante, tathā vitthāretabbo.)

(Tell in full as in the previous discourse.)

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026